Symptoms Of Agranulocytosis And Types Of Treatment

In today’s article, we will present the symptoms of agranulocytosis and the main types of treatment for this disease.

Agranulocytosis is a rare and potentially serious haematological disease that occurs when the level of granulocytes in the blood is too low. This disorder is also called neutropenia or granulocytopenia.

According to the most popular definition, we can say that it is about agranulocytosis if the number of neutrophils is less than 1000-1500 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. In general, there are three types of granulocytes: neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils.

What causes agranulocytosis?

As mentioned earlier, agranulocytosis is based on a decrease in the number of neutrophils in the blood. This phenomenon can be caused by the following factors:

• Inefficient granulopoiesis: Involves a disorder of the process of creating neutrophils, which occurs in the spinal cord. Therefore, any disease of the spine can cause this problem (for example, aplastic anemia or leukemia).

• Rapid use of neutrophils: If this process takes place faster than the ability of the spinal cord to produce new neutrophils, the risk of triggering agranulocytosis increases. Neutrophils are the cells responsible for fighting bacterial infections.
• Premature destruction of neutrophils: May be caused by certain drugs (such as metamizole), radiation or various autoimmune processes.

We can identify the following types of agranulocytosis:

• Hereditary: When cell production is altered by a gene problem.
• Congenital: Some patients are born with this disease.
• Acquired: Agranulocytosis can be caused by drugs or malignancies.

How is agranulocytosis classified?

The severity of agranulocytosis depends on the number of neutrophils in the blood. Here is how it is classified:

• Mild agranulocytosis: The number of neutrophils is 1000-1500 cells per cubic millimeter of blood.
• Moderate agranulocytosis: The number of neutrophils is 500-1000 cells per cubic millimeter of blood.
• Severe agranulocytosis: The number of neutrophils is less than 500 cells per cubic millimeter of blood.

Symptoms of agranulocytosis

This disease does not have a specific symptomatology. In fact, agranulocytosis can easily go unnoticed. The most common symptoms are:

• Fever greater than 38 ° C, usually accompanied by chills and sweating
• Cough and difficulty breathing
• Weakness and fatigue
• Canker sores and vascular ulcers

• Discomfort when urinating
• Vomiting and diarrhea

At the same time, women with agranulocytosis may notice changes in vaginal secretions. Patients affected by this disease tend to have an increased predisposition to infections (especially unusual or rare).

Diagnosis of agranulocytosis

Doctors suspect that a patient suffers from agranulocytosis if he frequently develops infections. First, the specialist will request a blood test, which, if the patient has this disease, will show a low number of granulocytes. In addition, the bone marrow can be examined by biopsy or aspiration.

Other useful tests in establishing a diagnosis are:

• Analysis of urine or other fluids (to detect infectious agents in case of fever)
• Genetic analysis
• Antibody tests (useful to rule out autoimmune diseases)

Types of treatment for agranulocytosis

The selection of a treatment for agranulocytosis depends on the severity of the case. If the cause of the problem is a pharmacological one, the patient should immediately stop the drug treatment. If this is not an option, the medicine should be replaced. In addition, your doctor must order a blood test.

If the problem is caused by an infection, it is recommended that the patient take antibiotics. The most popular strategy is to administer antibiotics against the most common microorganisms. Corticosteroids provide good results if agranulocytosis is caused by an autoimmune disease.

At the same time, there are more specific treatments, such as:

• Leukocyte transfusions
• Stimulating factor of granulocyte colony formation: This method involves stimulating the bone marrow to produce more granulocytes. The method is especially useful in patients suffering from agranulocytosis due to chemotherapy.
• Bone marrow transplantation: It is recommended when all other treatments have failed. Healthy bone marrow can produce granulocytes, but finding a compatible donor is a difficult process.

conclusions

Agranulocytosis is a complex haematological disease. If you suspect that you are suffering from this, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. All the symptoms of agranulocytosis mentioned above, including common infections, weakness and fever, are warning signs that should not be ignored. The doctor will subject you to the relevant tests and will prescribe you an appropriate treatment.